Summertime can be germy: A microbiologist explains how to avoid getting sick at the barbecue, in the pool or on the trail

Taking precautions against outdoor pathogens can keep you from getting sidelined over the summer. galitskaya/iStock via Getty Images Plus

As flowers bloom and temperatures climb, many are eager to get back outside. But while the Sun may be shining, there is a dark side that can make the great outdoors not so great.

Gangs of germs are lurking in the woods, in the soil, in the water and in your food, ready to rain on your summer parade.